Hungary Population: 9,939,470
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| Background | |
| Hungary became a Christian kingdom in A.D. 1000 and for many centuries served as a bulwark against Ottoman Turkish expansion in Europe. The kingdom eventually became part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU five years later. In 2011, Hungary assumed the six-month rotating presidency of the EU for the first time. |
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| Geography | |
| Landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions | |
| Location: | Central Europe, northwest of Romania |
| Geographic coordinates: | 47 00 N, 20 00 E |
| Area: | total: 93,028 sq km land: 89,608 sq km water: 3,420 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than Indiana |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 2,185 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia 166 km, Slovakia 676 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km |
| Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims: | none (landlocked) |
| Climate: | temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers |
| Terrain: | mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point: Kekes 1,014 m |
| Natural resources: | bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land |
| Land use: | arable land: 49.58% permanent crops: 2.06% other: 48.36% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 1,400 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | |
| Current Environment Issues: | the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU requirements will require large investments |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 9,939,470 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 760,253/female 714,868) 15-24 years: 11.9% (male 608,369/female 574,013) 25-54 years: 41.6% (male 2,074,975/female 2,063,952) 55-64 years: 14.2% (male 645,529/female 762,489) 65 years and over: 17.5% (male 646,244/female 1,088,778) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 40.5 years male: 38.4 years female: 43 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | -0.184% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 9.49 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 12.7 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 75.02 years male: 71.27 years female: 78.98 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.41 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 3,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 200 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian |
| Ethnic groups: | Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census) |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census) |
| Languages: | Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99.2% female: 98.9% (2010 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Hungary local long form: none local short form: Magyarorszag |
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy |
| Capital: | name: Budapest geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Administrative divisions: | 19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 23 urban counties (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros) counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Gyor, Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg capital city: Budapest |
| Independence: | 16 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established) |
| National holiday: | Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August; note - commemorates the date when his remains were transferred to Buda (now Budapest) |
| Constitution: | 25 April 2011, effective 1 January 2012 |
| Legal system: | civil legal system influenced by the German model |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age, 16 if married; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Janos ADER (since 10 May 2012) head of government: Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 29 May 2010) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; other ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed and relieved of their duties by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 2 May 2012 (next to be held by May 2017); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held 29 May 2010 election results: Janos ADER elected president; National Assembly vote - 262 to 40; Viktor ORBAN elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - 261 to 107 note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of legislative vote in the first round or a simple majority in the second round |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 11 and 25 April 2010 (next to be held in spring 2014) election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for parliamentary representation in the first round) - Fidesz-KNDP 52.7%, MSZP 19.3%, Jobbik 16.7%, LMP 7.5%; seats by party - Fidesz-KNDP 263, MSZP 59, Jobbik 47, LMP 16, independent 1 note: current composition - seats by party - Fidesz 226, MSZP 48, Jobbik 43, KNDP 37, Democratic Coalition 10, Dialog for Hungary 8, LMP 7, independent 7 |
| Judicial branch: | Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly for nine-year terms); Curia (highest court; head of Curia elected by National Assembly, the other judges elected by the president on recommendation of the head of the National Office of the Courts, a separate administrative body); Regional Courts of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Democratic Coalition [Ferenc GYURCSANY]; Dialogue for Hungary [Benedek JAVOR, Timea SZABO, co-chairs]; Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP [Attila MESTERHAZY]; Movement for a Better Hungary or Jobbik [Gabor VONA]; Politics Can Be Different or LMP [13-member leadership; some positions currently vacant] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Air Work Group (works to reduce air pollution in towns and cities); Danube Circle (protests the building of the Gabchikovo-Nagymaros dam); Fourth Republic (Negyedik Koztarsasag) or 4K! (anti-Orban, pro-democracy Facebook movement emerged from a Facebook group, One Million for Freedom of the Press or "Milla," and plans to form a leftist political party); Green Future (protests the impact of lead contamination of local factory on health of the people); Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (Tarsasag a Szabadsagjogokert) or TASZ (freedom of expression, information privacy); Hungarian Helsinki Committee (asylum seekers' rights, human rights in law enforcement and the judicial system); Szolidaritas ("Solidarity," formed in October 2011 by three trade unions and an NGO - anti-Orban government); "Egyutt 2014" ("Together 2014," a political electoral alliance bringing together Milla, Szolidaritas, and "Haza es Haladas," an association headed by former PM Gordon BAJNAI, to contest Fidesz and Viktor ORBAN in the 2014 parliamentary elections); Civil Osszefogas Forum ("Civil Unity Forum," nominally independent organization that serves as pro-government mass organization, supporting ORBAN government's policies); environmentalists: Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society (Magyar Madartani Egyesulet) or MME; Green Alternative (Zold Alternativa) |
| International organization participation: | Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Gyorgy SZAPARY chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos KOUNALAKIS embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764 |
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| Economy | |
| Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of the EU-27 average. The private sector accounts for more than 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative foreign direct investment worth more than $70 billion. In late 2008, Hungary's impending inability to service its short-term debt - brought on by the global financial crisis - led Budapest to obtain an IMF/EU/World Bank-arranged financial assistance package worth over $25 billion. The global economic downturn, declining exports, and low domestic consumption and fixed asset accumulation, dampened by government austerity measures, resulted in an economic contraction of 6.8% in 2009. In 2010 the new government implemented a number of changes including cutting business and personal income taxes, but imposed "crisis taxes" on financial institutions, energy and telecom companies, and retailers. The IMF/EU bail-out program lapsed at the end of the year and was replaced by Post Program Monitoring and Article IV Consultations on overall economic and fiscal processes. The economy began to recover in 2010 with a big boost from exports, especially to Germany, and achieved growth of approximately 1.7% in 2011. At the end of 2011 the government turned to the IMF and the EU to obtain financial backstop to support its efforts to refinance foreign currency debt and bond obligations in 2012 and beyond, but Budpest's rejection of EU and IMF economic policy recommendations led to a breakdown in talks with the lenders in late 2012. Since joining the EU in 2004, Hungary has been subject to the European Commission's Excessive Deficit Procedure; Brussels has requested that the government outline measures to sustainably reduce the budget deficit to under 3% of GDP. Ongoing economic weakness in Western Europe as well as lack of domestic investment and demand caused a GDP to fall 1.7% in 2012. Unemployment remained high, at more than 10.6%. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $195.4 billion (2012 est.) $198.8 billion (2011 est.) $195.5 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $128.8 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | -1.7% (2012 est.) 1.7% (2011 est.) 1.3% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $19,800 (2012 est.) $19,900 (2011 est.) $19,500 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 4.5% industry: 27.2% services: 68.3% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 4.391 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 7.1% industry: 29.7% services: 63.2% (2011 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 11.2% (2012 est.) 11.6% (2011 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 14% (2012) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 22.6% (2009) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 24.7 (2009) 24.4 (1998) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.7% (2012 est.) 3.9% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 16% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $55.05 billion expenditures: $58.55 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 78.6% of GDP (2012 est.) 81.7% of GDP (2011 est.) note: general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities: currency and deposits, securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives, and government, state government, local government, and social security funds. |
| Agriculture - products: | wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products |
| Industries: | mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 1.7% (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 34.28 billion kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 36.13 billion kWh (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 9 billion kWh (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 16.97 billion kWh (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 2.072 billion cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 11.9 billion cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 835 million cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 8.173 billion cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 3.014 billion cu m (1 January 2013 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $2.146 billion (2012 est.) $1.209 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $105.1 billion (2012 est.) $111.2 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | machinery and equipment 53.5%, other manufactures 31.2%, food products 8.7%, raw materials 3.4%, fuels and electricity 3.9% (2012) |
| Exports - partners: | Germany 25.3%, Romania 6.4%, Slovakia 5.9%, Austria 5.8%, Italy 4.6%, France 4.6%, UK 4.1% (2012 est.) |
| Imports: | $98.2 billion (2012 est.) $101.5 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment 45.4%, other manufactures 34.3%, fuels and electricity 12.6%, food products 5.3%, raw materials 2.5% (2012) |
| Imports - partners: | Germany 24.87%, China 14.6%, Russia 8.5%, Austria 6.9%, Slovakia 5.6%, Italy 5.2%, Poland 4.7%, Netherlands 4.1% (2012 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $67 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $48.84 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $170 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $193.4 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $94.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $100.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $30.3 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $28.74 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $22.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $22.8 billion (31 December 2011) $27.71 billion (31 December 2010) |
| Exchange rates: | forints (HUF) per US dollar - 225.4 (2012 est.) 201.05 (2011 est.) 207.94 (2010 est.) 202.34 (2009) 171.8 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 2.933 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 52 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 11.69 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized; the system is digital and highly automated; trunk services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996 domestic: competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile-cellular phones since 2000 and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .hu |
| Internet hosts: | 3.145 million (2012) |
| Internet users: | 6.176 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 41 (2012) country comparison to the world: 104 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 11 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 3 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 4,716 km; oil 984 km; refined products 361 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 8,057 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,802 km 1.435-m gauge (2,911 km electrified) narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2009) |
| Roadways: | total: 197,519 km paved: 74,993 km (43,898 km of interurban roads including 911 km of expressways) unpaved: 112,526 km (2010) |
| Waterways: | 1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2011) |
| Ports and terminals: | Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Hungarian Defense Forces: Land Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 6-month service obligation (2010) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,349,948 females age 16-49: 2,290,568 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,902,639 females age 16-49: 1,897,378 (2010 est.) |
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